A town with a shooters heart

Fraternisation is the word during the European Shooters Meeting (ESM), in Peine (D) as well as in Leudal in the Netherlands in 2018. Fraternisation will be present in all the aspects of the ESM in 2018, although no shot rang out until now. Five of the Leudal’s shooting companies shoulder the organization of this huge event: a tremendous challenge. They form the ESM commission and cooperate closely with the local Leudal authority.

Two men present themselves with one mission: a great success for the European Shooters Meeting 2018. We talk with Ko Remijnse, president of the ESM 2018 foundation and Arno Verhoeven, mayor of the town of Leudal. “Our town counts no less than fifteen shooting companies,” Arno Verhoeven tells us. “Our character lives in those companies. They have a centuries old shooting tradition that passed from father to son, with enthusiasm and passion. Their efforts aim not only shooting, but their members in our town’s sixteen villages try in every way their best to improve the well-being and the pleasure of our inhabitants”, he explains not without proud. “When five of these companies want to organize the ESM in 2018, the local authority and its mayor will support them.”

The mayor in Peine

“The local council’s support strengthens us,” Ko Remijnse adds. “After all, the local authority serves as an example to others and it radiates force.” He thinks this support gives a comfortable feeling. “These are not only empty words, but actions. During the nomination phase the contact between the organization and the local authority was very good. When the mayor promises to go with us to Peine, that’s fantastic!”

They perfectly agree about the ESM success in 2018. This has everything to do with Leudal. It is a nice town with friendly villages, a lot of woodland, water areas and farm land. “The site is very appropriate. It is situated some 20 kilometres from the borders of Germany and Belgium. It is a central site in the northwest of Europe where ESM participants live”, Ko Romijnse tells us. Arno Verhoeven adds: ”Moreover, Leudal offers the perfect ambiance to welcome all participants with our excellent hospitality.”

Challenge

Besides these fraternisation activities, will the ESM 2018 president challenge the mayor in the shooting competition during the event? Ko Romijnse laughs and says: “Shooting together is more important than winning, but I am always competitive and for me it is impossible to ignore this element.” The mayor answers: “I am not a shooter, but as I opened several competitions and activities, I enjoyed shooting with a rifle and you can call me a reasonably experienced shooter. And I always hit the little cube!”